What is the best pathway to my goal?

[NoewUH]

I'm currently 175 pounds, 6'0, 19 years old. I estimate/weigh my bodyfat % around 20-22%. I workout 5 times a week, PPL split with heavy compound lifts. As well, I do 3/30 minute HIIT sessions on the treadmill per week.

Nutrition-wise, I eat 1500-1600 calories a day (~200 deficit), and try to reach 160g+ protein.

My ultimate goal, for now, is to lower body fat to around 12-15%, enough so to have visible abs, although I'm currently struggling as to how I should reach this goal. My first option would be to continue to strictly limit calories such that I'm in a ~400 deficit (around 1400 calories in my case), and continue to "cut" with a goal weight around 155-160lbs. My second option would be to "recomp" (if that is even possible) and eat near maintenance with a slight deficit (100-200) while continuing to lift heavy, etc.

With a strict cut, I worry that my projected weight is too low for my height and I risk losing muscle and getting into skinny-fat territory, whereas with recomp, I'm eating so close to maintenance that it's often difficult to see any progress if with fat loss.

Would it just be best to swallow my pride and go on a strict cut to my bodyfat goal and slowly build muscle afterwards? Or should I just be patient and recomp?

I'd appreciate any input from the community as to what option works best, or if there are any other options, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks, guys.

[AdamWW]

There is zero chance your TDEE is 1700-1800 calories...

If you're eating 1500-1600 calories, my guess is you're in like a 1000-1200 calorie deficit.. thats WAY too much...

Start by eating like 2100 calories and go from there. Your TDEE is probably closer to 2500-2600 (possibly more depending on how much your job and general lifestyle has you moving).

I don't think you have as much to lose as you might think because it appears almost all your fat is around your stomach... your back and legs seem pretty lean.

[NoewUH]

There is zero chance your TDEE is 1700-1800 calories...

If you're eating 1500-1600 calories, my guess is you're in like a 1000-1200 calorie deficit.. thats WAY too much...

Start by eating like 2100 calories and go from there. Your TDEE is probably closer to 2500-2600 (possibly more depending on how much your job and general lifestyle has you moving).

I don't think you have as much to lose as you might think because it appears almost all your fat is around your stomach... your back and legs seem pretty lean.

I totally get where you are coming from, but covid hit my TDEE hard! My province is currently in lockdown which means I'm indoors almost 24/7.

My only exercise (besides walking up and down the stairs) is from lifting weights and walking on the treadmill. I've tested over the past 8 months and found if I ate over 2000 I put on weight.

[xsquid99]

Concur with Adam, your TDEE is not below 2000 calories a day. If you eat over 2000 and gain weight its because you are absolutely not counting correctly, or leaving things out, or estimating (poorly).

If you're lifting and getting enough protein your risk for muscle loss is slim to none, you wouldn't be at risk for losing muscle unless your bodyfat was very low (think 10% and under).

Eat 2000-2100 ACTUAL TRACKED CALORIES (that means every bit of cooking oil, salad dressing, non-zero calorie drinks, condiments, etc). If you drop ~15 lbs you're probably going to be a lot happier with your physique, then you can move into more of a building phase.

[Tommy W.]

At those calories what has your weight done in the last 4 weeks

[AdamWW]

I totally get where you are coming from, but covid hit my TDEE hard! My province is currently in lockdown which means I'm indoors almost 24/7.

My only exercise (besides walking up and down the stairs) is from lifting weights and walking on the treadmill. I've tested over the past 8 months and found if I ate over 2000 I put on weight.

Youre not tracking correctly.

Your BMR (calorie burned at rest) is probably closer to what you’re saying your TDEE is.

Sorry but it’s not physically possible.

[NoewUH]

At those calories what has your weight done in the last 4 weeks

Despite a week-long break over Christmas, I have eaten at 1500 for the past few months, I've consistently lost about 1 per week.

[AdamWW]

Despite a week-long break over Christmas, I have eaten at 1500 for the past few months, I've consistently lost about 1 per week.

How often/when are you weighing yourself? How are you measuring the weight changes (day to day vs. weekly moving averages...)?

Can you post a sample of a day's food, and explain how you're measuring it? Do you have 'cheat days' or meals that you DONT track on a regular basis?

[NoewUH]

Concur with Adam, your TDEE is not below 2000 calories a day. If you eat over 2000 and gain weight its because you are absolutely not counting correctly, or leaving things out, or estimating (poorly).

If you're lifting and getting enough protein your risk for muscle loss is slim to none, you wouldn't be at risk for losing muscle unless your bodyfat was very low (think 10% and under).

Eat 2000-2100 ACTUAL TRACKED CALORIES (that means every bit of cooking oil, salad dressing, non-zero calorie drinks, condiments, etc). If you drop ~15 lbs you're probably going to be a lot happier with your physique, then you can move into more of a building phase.

Ok, I'll definitely think about this. I'll try and be exact with calorie tracking for the next few weeks. In regards to calories, I can't imagine that 2100 would be a deficit in my case. I've eaten below then and had an issue (posted about this a while back).

[AdamWW]

Ok, I'll definitely think about this. I'll try and be exact with calorie tracking for the next few weeks. In regards to calories, I can't imagine that 2100 would be a deficit in my case. I've eaten below then and had an issue (posted about this a while back).

Why is this surprising?

You do realize grown men of normal weight typically burn much more than 2100, right? The AVERAGE make in the US, so someone who isn't very active at all, burns like 2400-2500 a day, that's NOT with lifting weights or anything else.

I know short females who cut on over 2000 calories easily...

You're a tall, young, male, who is lifting weights and doing HIIT....

[NoewUH]

How often/when are you weighing yourself? How are you measuring the weight changes (day to day vs. weekly moving averages...)?

Can you post a sample of a day's food, and explain how you're measuring it? Do you have 'cheat days' or meals that you DONT track on a regular basis?

I've been weighing myself daily and tracking overall change, along with progress pictures per week.

Daily food is almost exactly the same:

Breakfast: 4 large eggs, 150ml egg whites, 50g cottage cheese, two pieces of toast, 2-3Tbls ketchup

Lunch: 75g protein powder, 0.5-1 cup cashew milk, 100-150g plain 0% Greek yoghurt, 1 frozen banana, some 0 cal Splenda

Dinner: different variations of meal preps, 180g chicken breast, 45-60g rice, 100-150g various greens. Meals are cooked with 1-2tablespoons of olive oil for 5 meals.

Snacks: Somedays I'll have a few rice cakes (45 cals each), crackers, etc, though they are all tracked and fit into daily cal.

Most of the food is tracked using a food scale, or just portions divided (chicken breast, same weight every week divided by 5)

On weekends I will occasionally eat meals that are not as listed, tracking is not as consistent, though I monitor and track weight to and judge depending on how much I've gained/lost.

[NoewUH]

Why is this surprising?

You do realize grown men of normal weight typically burn much more than 2100, right? The AVERAGE make in the US, so someone who isn't very active at all, burns like 2400-2500 a day, that's NOT with lifting weights or anything else.

I know short females who cut on over 2000 calories easily...

You're a tall, young, male, who is lifting weights and doing HIIT....

That's fair.

I can completely admit that I might be tracking wrong, maybe I'm constantly inconsistent (if that makes sense?).

I started at 2000 a few months ago and maintained my weight, slowly lowered them over time to naturally find my TDEE and adjusted calories to lose weight at a steady pace. To be apparent, I genuinely do almost nothing for daily activity besides working out / treadmill. I don't go outside often, into town, etc, I sit at my desk most of the day.

[AdamWW]

That's fair.

I can completely admit that I might be tracking wrong, maybe I'm constantly inconsistent (if that makes sense?).

I started at 2000 a few months ago and maintained my weight, slowly lowered them over time to naturally find my TDEE and adjusted calories to lose weight at a steady pace. To be apparent, I genuinely do almost nothing for daily activity besides working out / treadmill. I don't go outside often, into town, etc, I sit at my desk most of the day.

Right, but how much movement are you getting on a treadmill, and how long do your workouts last at the gym?

Bottom-line, your BMR (the amount you'd burn if you were just laying down all day literally NOT MOVING) is probably like 1750...

[NoewUH]

Right, but how much movement are you getting on a treadmill, and how long do your workouts last at the gym?

Bottom-line, your BMR (the amount you'd burn if you were just laying down all day literally NOT MOVING) is probably like 1750...

5-10 minutes of walking on the treadmill, warm up to workout. 45-60 minutes in the gym.

[xsquid99]

I can completely admit that I might be tracking wrong, maybe I'm constantly inconsistent (if that makes sense?).

This is a thing, and so whatever you think 1500 is, is probably more like 2200 (or more). If you're losing 1 lb a week on average you're in about a 500 calorie a day deficit already, and you should stay the course on *your* 1500 (which again is probably not 1500).

[AdamWW]

5-10 minutes of walking on the treadmill, warm up to workout. 45-60 minutes in the gym.

You also said you do HIIT...

So, are you saying you get only 1000 steps a day?

Even if you had a sedentary step count, if you added in the weight training + the HIIT, you'd still be sitting at a 'lightly active' level at least.

Adjusting for the added training calories, even if you were otherwise just doing NOTHING, you'd still never be at the 2000 calories mark for a TDEE...

2300-2400 would be basically a minimum for the laziest of people who are lifting weights at your age, height, and weight...

[Tommy W.]

Despite a week-long break over Christmas, I have eaten at 1500 for the past few months, I've consistently lost about 1 per week.

haha just no. You’re taking in more. Regardless of that if you’re losing a pound a week you’re on the right path. Clean up your counting and tracking.